Blink Touts New Fast Chargers; Mercedes Unveils EV Concept Car

The innovations are part of the move to give EVs a bigger role in the U.S. vehicle fleet.

January 04, 2022

Blink EV Charger

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) tomorrow in Las Vegas, Blink plans to announce seven new charging products, including chargers for fleet, public and home use. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the EQXX, a new electric concept car that the automaker says will be able to travel 620 miles on a single charge, based on computer modeling.

Mercedes set a goal for half of its sales to be EVs by 2025 and virtually all electric by 2030. The automaker aims to produce a vehicle based on the EQXX technology in 2024, CNN reports.

One of the many barriers to widespread EV adoption in the U.S. is a lack of charging infrastructure. Blink is among several upstart firms looking to make charging more accessible.

Blink’s planned new public charging solutions include a compact DC Wall 50 kW fast charger that can be installed on a wall or as a pedestal, Electrek reports. It can charge two EVs at once. To use, drivers will need a Blink member card, credit card or mobile app.

Last month, Blink offered a hint of its plans, saying its new EV charging equipment would include both Level 2 and DC Fast Chargers and “offer next-generation EV charging technology across the EV ecosystem, including home, fleet, multifamily and retail locations.” Blink said it would also launch a new network and “mobile app that enable a more seamless, efficient, and affordable charging experience for fleets and consumers.”

The Blink EV charging network runs on cloud-based software that operates, maintains, and tracks all the Blink EV charging stations and the associated charging data; EV charging equipment; and EV related services.

A recent Convenience Matters podcast episode discusses how EVs are the future, and another episode explains how convenience retailers can attract and retain EV customers. A free NACS webinar helps retailers understand how EVs and environmentally conscious consumers will affect your business.

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